How are you connecting the SMS to the Superbaby? I have the Microbaby and love it but would love to be able to run the SMS through the Microbaby. I don't see how I can bypass the preamp and plug the SMS into the Microbaby? There is no "Send/Return" bypass loop. I don't think there is one on the Superbaby either....please let me know how you are running it.

Thanks so much....agree the Emery stuff is terrific for getting great tube tone at lower volumes.

barefootdave wrote:Oh Tone, don't go! We will miss your well thought out contributions!

qft

I'll light a candle for you, Tone.

In regards to the topic, I feel like any small Fender tube amp can get pretty close if the right pups/picks/pedals (maybe buffer), technique (mostly technique) are used. I use one of the new Fender Champs because the SMS/E120 rig is too loud for the apartment I live in. Swapped the speaker and the tubes a while ago, and I think it sounds good. It's more tweed-y than blackface, but it's still definitely enough in the ballpark that it's fine as a bedroom practice rig.

The Princetons sound excellent, too (the reissues included IMO, they sound pretty darn good with the right speaker), and they're probably the chimiest and most treble-heavy/least mid-heavy of the small Fenders before you start hitting the Super and Twin Reverbs. I tried a Princeton yesterday and was considering getting one for a more portable and potentially Jerry-friendly rehearsal/small gigging amp.

My friend gets a great bedroom Jerry tone with just a Strat and a Fender Sidekick 25 (solid state). The Roland Cube 30 can get decent bedroom/headphone Jerry tones as well. Personally I just play my regular rig at bedroom (actually garage) levels and it pleases me to no end.

barefootdave wrote:Oh Tone, don't go! We will miss your well thought out contributions!

qft

I'll light a candle for you, Tone.

In regards to the topic, I feel like any small Fender tube amp can get pretty close if the right pups/picks/pedals (maybe buffer), technique (mostly technique) are used. I use one of the new Fender Champs because the SMS/E120 rig is too loud for the apartment I live in. Swapped the speaker and the tubes a while ago, and I think it sounds good. It's more tweed-y than blackface, but it's still definitely enough in the ballpark that it's fine as a bedroom practice rig.

The Princetons sound excellent, too (the reissues included IMO, they sound pretty darn good with the right speaker), and they're probably the chimiest and most treble-heavy/least mid-heavy of the small Fenders before you start hitting the Super and Twin Reverbs. I tried a Princeton yesterday and was considering getting one for a more portable and potentially Jerry-friendly rehearsal/small gigging amp.

I am in the same boat. Got a sweet deal on a SuperChamp X2 about 9 months ago, put in a NOS RCA 12AX7A, a matched pair of JJ 6V6S tubes and a JBL K-110, the right effects and a Strat and things are sounding pretty good.

However, when I crank up the Mesa Mark IIA and the JBL K-120 2x12 to get the tone I get blown out of the room. Sure is sweet, though..

How are you connecting the SMS to the Superbaby? I have the Microbaby and love it but would love to be able to run the SMS through the Microbaby. I don't see how I can bypass the preamp and plug the SMS into the Microbaby? There is no "Send/Return" bypass loop. I don't think there is one on the Superbaby either....please let me know how you are running it.

Thanks so much....agree the Emery stuff is terrific for getting great tube tone at lower volumes.

I go from guitar cord to reverb pedal input to input of sms and output of sms to output of superbaby BUT you need to turn your tone knob completely off so the superbaby or microbaby acts as a power amp only-let me know questions -tx

I tested the XD Champ and the Princeton Reverb Re-Issue and there was no comparison in tone. If you can afford the extra bucks, go with the Princeton. It is all tube whereas the Champ is part tube and part solid-state. The Princeton at 15w is small enough to play in a small room, but can still be cranked up loud enough to blow your eardrums. It has a sweet full tone to it that emulates the Twin Reverb and the Deluxe Reverb.

Linkslover wrote:I tested the XD Champ and the Princeton Reverb Re-Issue and there was no comparison in tone. If you can afford the extra bucks, go with the Princeton. It is all tube whereas the Champ is part tube and part solid-state. The Princeton at 15w is small enough to play in a small room, but can still be cranked up loud enough to blow your eardrums. It has a sweet full tone to it that emulates the Twin Reverb and the Deluxe Reverb.

Tone wrote:Do people (retailers) respond to every post with fanboy equip replies that have nothing to do with the original post?

This board is a joke, goodbye.

That was the strangest goodbye I've heard in a while. Now back to shameless big business promotion:

I still think a Princeton and deluxe (15watts and above) are still too loud to push to their sweet spot tube wise, but are great amps all around. These days I think any amp will do with a good transparent OD like a CTO, kalamazoo or maybe an earth drive (havent tried one yet) to get that loud amp like tone at low levels. Modeling amps are just fun to play with relative to old school one trick ponies, and theyre cheap!! Honestly my go to house amp has been my HRD3 (k120 spker) with an OD. My gdec is great for practicing solos with loops and tracks. Start with a great clean tone and build from there. A vintage amp will totally provide that and a pedal will take it to the final point. These new hybrid amps with distortion circuits are basically the same thing, so maybe choosing your drive channel by buying your own OD is the way to do it and be totally happy.

Shopping for amps is fun. Go get it on at GC or your local music shop.

Linkslover wrote:I tested the XD Champ and the Princeton Reverb Re-Issue and there was no comparison in tone. If you can afford the extra bucks, go with the Princeton. It is all tube whereas the Champ is part tube and part solid-state. The Princeton at 15w is small enough to play in a small room, but can still be cranked up loud enough to blow your eardrums. It has a sweet full tone to it that emulates the Twin Reverb and the Deluxe Reverb.

Or even consider buying an old used Fender Princeton Reverb?

I tested the XD Champ and the X2 Champ and the X2 blew the XD away. Really it was like night and day. The XD was very noisy, boxy sounding - I actually took it home for a few nights and fooled around with it and could not pull a decent tone out of it (IMO) so I returned it. Man that thing was NOISY. I got the X2 and even stock I was much happier. When I re-tubed and put in the K-110 it made a stunning difference.

There is a small guitar shop near me that has a an old Princeton Reverb in great shape for $124.99. It had been there for ages priced at $179.99 and after they lowered the price, well, it's been many months and it''s still there. I played it a few months ago and it sounded pretty good - no issues at all. I may pick it up the next time I get paid but I need to do a bit of research - $124.99 sounds pretty good but I gotta check the going rates.

cmc64 wrote:There is a small guitar shop near me that has a an old Princeton Reverb in great shape for $124.99. It had been there for ages priced at $179.99 and after they lowered the price, well, it's been many months and it''s still there. I played it a few months ago and it sounded pretty good - no issues at all. I may pick it up the next time I get paid but I need to do a bit of research - $124.99 sounds pretty good but I gotta check the going rates.

That price seems too good to be true. I assume it's a silverface from the 70's?

I don't think there are any Princeton Reverbs out there for $125... Must be a later solid state Princeton. For that price I would go for a new Mustang instead, pretty much the best bedroom amp out there.